Squeaky Penguin's (Trip Reports) Build Thread

Interesting. Did you weld a bung or tap it?

 

Tapped it, although after doing so, I think a bung would be better to have more threads. It would be quite hard to weld there though. I figure worst case and something on the slider fails, I can plug that port on the manifold. I assume there's enough volume in the mainfold to operate the air locker.

Also thinking about running a hose up to the front bumper with a quick connect. Looking into what kind of small, flexible hose and fittings I can use, don't know a ton about pneumatics.

 

The ARB hoses are designed for that

ARB 170301 Engine Air Intake Adapter

http://www.amazon.com/ARB-170301-En..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=1M5ATYSQ94Q9VM6CFYC8

But for tires you would want something with a larger ID for better flow.

 

Yeah, I was looking at this but need to determine the tubing diameter. Given it is made from their systems and airing up tires I assume it would be fine I do like the look of the push in fittings too.

http://www.viaircorp.com/airrelocation.html

The 15' of hose should be enough to connect the slider, and make a run to the front bumper as well. Would just need one extra fitting. I did read some reviews saying the hose was somewhat stiff though.

Edit: apparently it's 1/4"

 

Wouldn't it be better just to source a good rubber air hose line since the runs will get exposed to stuff under the truck?

 

Are you trying to use your sliders for an air tank? Metal fatigues and eventually cracks... But hey anyways.

 

Oh trust me I don't think it's the thickness of the steel. It's what he uses the steel for. Have you seen this boy on a trial? It's a slider. You know this. The weight of the truck is on the welds not the steel. I've seen welds tear the meat right out of the steel. Plus the moister that is carried by the air will sit inside the slider and cause the slider to rust from the inside out. And the first place the rust will form is on the welds. So what I'm saying is "in time" where the welds meet the steel will weaken and crack and break.... But hey anyways. I like seeing other ideas.

 

*break

 

Possibly, but there really won't be that much exposed. I purposely tapped that hole in the slider just behind the leg

Yep. That's exactly what I'm trying to do.

Shit. Now we've got an engineer in here to explain to us why we're wrong To Ray's argument though, you never see anyone slide a two plus ton truck down any of those tanks.

Ray, the only part that is acting as a tank here is the main piece of 2x2" square tubing. While my sliders are indeed beat up, most of dents and scrapes and such are on the outer tubes. The only two welds on that piece of square tubing that is pertinent to making it a tank are the end caps, which are never subjected to my wheeling. The only points of failure would be those end caps, my tapping job, or if I somehow managed to puncture the tube.

Also, like I said my sliders are already dented, scraped, rusted, and beat up. By the time occasionally using them to hold air does them in, I'll probably want to be replacing them for other reasons anyways.

Lastly, what the worst that can happen? I'll make sure to carry extra plugs, so I can just unscrew that line from the manifold and plug it. The rest of the system will work just the same, and there should be plenty of volume to operate the air locker. Worse care I just give up and buy a 2.5 gallon Viair tank and put it under the bed like I first wanted to do.

 

Fair enough so you only have two end plates where the weld will be in contact with the air. But how a weld penetrates steel with how heat creates a burn mark on the opposite side of the weld and the inside of the tube isn't treated. Those areas are still weak spots and will rust first. Now you are adding moister into it. Like I said before you put a pounding on the sliders and that force still transfers to the welds that have rust around the inside you can still tear the meat of the steel. It's just a matter of time that's all. However it's a different approach to using what you have. and more

 

You could add an accumulator/catch can prior to the slider to catch moisture that would be easy to drain.

Pump>tube>accumulator>tube>Slider>tube>quick connect.

 

How much pressure are we talking here?
Ray has some good points, but I don't think they will be an immediate issue.
Lots of guys utilize bumpers, roll bars, etc as air storage tanks. I've seen more than one V8 powered trike that uses the frame rails as part of the cooling system..apples and oranges I know.
I have seen one case where one individual used PVC as an air tank, and it did explode, under the hood, from heat expansion I think, and caused no damage other than a pair of soiled shorts. I think the metal if ruptured, at that thickness, would most likely just be a "tear" in the metal or maybe shooting off the fittings, which are aimed at the ground anyway.
A pressure relief valve would solve any issue of too much psi.

Also, garage air compressors are rarely maintained correctly, like mine, and develop moisture, which starts rust, usually out the bottom of the tank. And it has never exploded, it just leaked until I welded a patch on it.

 

@Squeaky Penguin your slider tank intrigues me, do you have another tank in the system or is the slider going to be the only one?

 

It doesn't take any volume for air lockers. I have F&R and the thing goes on once and that's it unless I've been flipping the switch.
I don't have an auxilary tank. I do have a single arb compressor that runs both lockers. It gets way too hot to air up tires. I use CO2 for the tires. Using my set up a lot for a good year now this is my plan. Sell the CO2 powertank, sell the ARB CMK and get an arb twin offsetting my expense. It'll make it safe and compact.
The other guys I wheel with have twins and they are almost as fast as the CO2..Im looking to get the comp out of my engine bay and the CO2 out of the back and shove the twin in rear panel.

 

Didn't think holding air some metal tubing would cause this much discussion.

I'm no engineer, but I really don't see this as unsafe. My tapped threads and the fitting will fail first. The tube is 1/8" wall, and won't just explode.

110psi, and I was already planning on incorporating a relief valve. At the rate I'm going, there will be other issues with the sliders by the time they rust from the inside out.

This will be my only tank for the time being. We'll see how it performs and go from there. My math has it at about 1.3 gallons.

My 400H works fine for airing up as is, no complaints there, but a tank can't hurt. I though about swapping to an ARB single, don't want to pay for the dual, but it just seems unnecessary at this point given I already have a good compressor installed.

 

So what your saying is everyone shut the hell up because your going to do what you want anyways....

 

More or less Anyone can go buy a $500 compressor or a CO2 setup. That's no fun. What's wrong with trying something different?

I was just giving you a hard time.

My frame has zero rust on it, so I doubt it will be the first to rust away. And you're right, who knows what a hard hit or puncture would do? I guess we'll find out.

 

I feel you there, I've decided to use an RV2 compressor from an old Chrysler product, super high output supposedly capable of 10-14CFM depending on RPM. I'm still planning my tank location and size so it's awesome to see some ideas like this.



V-Twin FTW

 

Oh what the hell does Ray know anyway?
All his shit is made out of cardboard and pvc.

 

I'm just happy to see @Squeaky Penguin take my idea and run with it. And actually using his degree for mod purposes. Well done!